Leiden University Student Repository

Mol, Ewan (2011)

The Mindelheim Sword of Oss. Understanding the purpose and meaning of the Mindelheim sword from the chieftain’s grave of Oss in relation to its origins during the Early Iron Age

Master thesis | Archaeology (MA/MSc)

The chieftain’s grave of Oss, which was discovered and excavated in 1933, concerns a large Early Iron Age barrow, with the burial of a so called chief of Oss. The burial contained a rich set of grave goods, of which several of them were imported from abroad. The most important of them: a bronze situlae, an iron Mindelheim sword and bronze horse bits. Early typological examination had shown that these objects were imported from the Central European Hallstatt culture. Despite the fact that the barrow and its grave goods were already published several times, the real meanings of the grave goods were actually never researched and published in great detail and larger context. This thesis discusses therefore specifically the Mindelheim sword from the chieftain’s grave of Oss. The main question of this thesis is: What was the ‘special’ purpose and meaning of the sword of the chieftain’s grave of Oss in relation to its Central European origins? The sword has a striking appearance. The iron...Show moreThe chieftain’s grave of Oss, which was discovered and excavated in 1933, concerns a large Early Iron Age barrow, with the burial of a so called chief of Oss. The burial contained a rich set of grave goods, of which several of them were imported from abroad. The most important of them: a bronze situlae, an iron Mindelheim sword and bronze horse bits. Early typological examination had shown that these objects were imported from the Central European Hallstatt culture. Despite the fact that the barrow and its grave goods were already published several times, the real meanings of the grave goods were actually never researched and published in great detail and larger context. This thesis discusses therefore specifically the Mindelheim sword from the chieftain’s grave of Oss. The main question of this thesis is: What was the ‘special’ purpose and meaning of the sword of the chieftain’s grave of Oss in relation to its Central European origins? The sword has a striking appearance. The iron blade is of a considerable length, has a distinct hat-shaped pommel and has gold leaf as decoration on its pommel and wooden grip. Adding to that, the sword was bent to fit in the situla. At first it was thought that the sword of Oss was a prestigious object with practical purposes as a sword for a horse riding warrior. This was thought because swords from the Mindelheim type are generally interpreted in this way. However, with the use of parallels from both regions, the Hallstatt area and the Lower Rhine area, and background information of the regional circumstances this thesis shows that it is more likely that the Mindelheim sword of Oss had a symbolic purpose. Its appearance (gold decoration etc.) already suggests that the sword must have been a valuable object, which exuded prestige and power. The (regional) context and its associations with other grave goods point also in the direction of a symbolic usage. The monumental size of the barrow, and usage of a specific set of imported grave goods as well implies the adoption of an elite ideology from the Hallstatt culture. The treatment of the sword seems to be an indigenous twist of the adopted elite ideology: the sword was bent not only to fit in the situla, but probably to be deposited in direct contact with the cremation remains. Several arguments thus imply the symbolic purpose of the sword. The chief of Oss might have wanted to send a message to the society he left behind. The sword is hereby one of the features from the chieftain’s grave of Oss that exudes the power and prestige of the man who was cremated and buried afterwards.Show less

Author

Mol, Ewan

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Supervisors

Fokkens, H.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en